Kite

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an improved kite having a steadying and guiding keel, the leading edge of which is so shaped as to prevent the direct transmission of tension forces from the kite string to the leading point of the keel&#39;&#39;s attachment to the kite body, thereby making the keel less likely to tear away from the kite body.

United States Patent 1,105,058 7/1914 Bochau FOREIGN PATENTS lagd giil 81910 France 244 154 .153 7/l9l2 France 244/153 6,033 ll/l906GreatBritain 244 153 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler AssistantExaminer-Paul E. Sauberer Attorneys-J. Vincent Martin, Joe E. Edwardsand Jack R.

Springgate ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an improved kite having asteadying and guiding keel, the leading edge of which is so shaped as toprevent the direct transmission of tension forces from the kite stringto the leading point of the keels attachment to the kite body, therebymaking the keel less likely to tear away from the kite body.

KKTE

SUMMARY This invention relates generally to keel kites. and particularlyto a keel kite having an improved form of steadying and guiding keel.

Keel kites as heretofore known in the art have comprised a body portion,rigidifying structural members and a guiding, steadying keel basicallytriangular in shape and having an eyelet or other means for attaching aflying string. An example of this type of kite is shown in the patent toGreen US. Pat. No. 2,785,870 issued Mar. 19, 1957.

A continuing problem with this type of kite has been that the keel tendsto tear away from the body portion when the kite is subjected to extraloading due to a gust of wind or a sudden tug on the flying string.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a keelkite which is more durable than those heretofore known,

Another object is to provide such a kite wherein the keel is shaped tomore evenly distribute the tension forces which are transmitted by thekeel between the flying string and the kite body so as to prevent thekeel from separating from the body.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the drawings, the specification and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, andwherein like numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kite constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the kite of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing an alternate form of keel forthe kite ofthe present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown a keel kite comprising generally a body portion and a keel II.The kite body 10 is made up ofa polygonal sheet 12 of thin, flexiblematerial such as plastic film, and of structural means for supportingsaid sheet in its extended flying position. In our preferred form ofkite, these structural means are provided as follows: A center stick 13of some suitable material, such as wood or plastic, is affixed to sheet12, as by gluing or heat-bonding. The center stick 13 extendsapproximately the full length of sheet l2 so as to divide sheet 12 intotwo mirror-image sections. Two side sticks 14 and 15 are attached toopposite edges of sheet 12, one being on either side of the center stick13. Two connectors 16 and 17 are mounted on side sticks 14 and 15 andare adapted to engage opposite ends of a cross brace 18 which serves tomaintain the kite in its extended flying position. The keel 11 which isalso formed ofthin, flexible material such as that ofsheet 12, ispreferably in the approximate shape of a triangle having its longestside secured to the kite body 10 by suitable means such as gluing orheat-bonding. In the preferred embodiment, the keel l1 isattached tosheet 112 along the centerline of sheet 12 directly below the centerstick 13. A reinforced eyelet 19 for attaching a flying string 20 isprovided near the free apex of keel II.

As pointed out above, a major problem with keel kites as heretoforeknown has been a tendency on the part of the keel to tear away from thekite body. Separation of the keel from the body is apparently initiatedby a concentration of tension forces at the leading point of the keelattachment to the body. Once this leading point yields, the remainder ofthe failure will occur rather quickly. The kite of the present inventionovercomes this disadvantage by providing a keel so shaped as to moreevenly distribute the tension loading and to effectively prevent anyconcentration of forces at the leading point of the keels attachment tothe body, thus: greatly reducing the incidence of keel s separation as acause of kite failure. The concentration of forces is prevented bymaking the keel of such a shape that at least a portion of its eadingedge is recessed to the rear of an imaginary line extending between theeyelet 19 where the flying string 20 is attached to the foremost pointof the keels attachment to the kite body 10. The keel of this shapeprevents the direct straight line transmission of tension forces fromthe kite string to the leading critical point of the keels attachment tothe kite body.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the leading edge ofthe keel 111 is concave in shape, as shown most clearly in FIG. 2, toprevent the action of direct tension forces indicated generally bydotted lines 11b on the leading point 110 of the keels attachment to thebody. Some tension forces will, of course, still act on this point, butthey will not normally be of such magnitude as to initiate separation ofthe keel from the body. The trailing edge 11d of keel II is also shownas concave.

An alternate form of the keel i1 is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the leadingedge comprises two straight line segments lie and lllf which intersectat an obtuse angle. It can readily be seen that this design alsoprevents the direct action of tension forces on the leading point 11c.Other designs are, of course, possible within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Thus it can be seen that the keel kite of the present invention byproviding a keel having a recessed heading edge greatly reduces thelikelihood of keel failure and is therefore more durable than keel kitesheretofore known.

What is claimed is:

1. A kite comprising,

a body having a sheet of flexible :material and structural means forsupporting said sheet; and

a polygonal keel secured to said body along one of said keels edges andadapted to extend from said body in a direction parallel to thedirection of air flow past said kite,

said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto forflying, and

at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel being recessed tothe rear of an imaginary line extending between said string-securingmeans and the foremost point of said keel s attachment to said body.

2. The kite of claim I wherein at least a portion of the leading edge ofsaid keel is concave.

3. The kite of claim 1 wherein the leading edge of said keel defines twostraight lines intersecting at an obtuse angle.

4. A kite according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of both theleading edge and trailing edge of said keel are concave.

5. A kite comprising,

a polygonal sheet of flexible material,

a pair of structural members secured [to said sheet,

a pair of connectors secured to said structural members,

a cross brace adapted to engage said connectors to retain saidstructural members and said sheet in extended flying position,

a keel of flexible material secured to said sheet along one edge of saidkeel and adapted to extend therefrom in a direction parallel to thedirection of air flow past said kite,

said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto forflying, and

at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel being concave.

t a t! l l'

1. A kite comprising, a body having a sheet of flexible material andstructural means for supporting said sheet; and a polygonal keel securedto said body along one of said keel''s edges and adapted to extend fromsaid body in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow past saidkite, said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto forflying, and at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel beingrecessed to the rear of an imaginary line extending between saidstring-securing means and the foremost point of said keel''s attachmentto said body.
 2. The kite of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of theleading edge of said keel is concave.
 3. The kite of claim 1 wherein theleading edge of said keel defines two straight lines intersecting at anobtuse angle.
 4. A kite according to claim 1 wherein at least a portionof both the leading edge and trailing edge of said keel are concave. 5.A kite comprising, a polygonal sheet of flexible material, a pair ofstructural members secured to said sheet, a pair of connectors securedto said structural members, a cross brace adapted to engage saidconnectors to retain said structural members and said sheet in extendedflying position, a keel of flexible material secured to said sheet alongone edge of said keel and adapted to extend therefrom in a directionparallel to the direction of air flow past said kite, said keel having asingle means for securing a string thereto for flying, and at least aportion of the leading eDge of said keel being concave.